O'Connell was indeed no bigot. It was quite true that he had a strong Catholic party feeling, which was necessarily generated by his career. But he disliked no fellow creature on account of his creed. Men of all political and religious opinions were alike welcome to the hospitality of Darrynane. A bigoted Catholic observed that it was quite impossible that any Protestant in Ireland could have the plea of "invincible ignorance." "The fellow has no right to judge his neighbour's conscience," said O'Connell to me; "he does not know what goes to constitute invincible ignorance!"

When a Protestant lady became a member of his family, he thus addressed her on her arrival at Darrynane (I heard him mention the circumstance many years subsequently)" You are," said he, "a Protestant, and here, at Darrynane, the nearest place of worship of your own persuasion is at Sneem, which is twelve miles off. Now, I have taken care that you shall not want the means of worshipping God

in

your own way on the Sunday. You shall have a horse to ride to Sneem every Sunday during the summer, and a fresh horse, if requisite, to ride back; and if the ride should fatigue you, your carriage shall attend you."

"I thank you, sir; but I have

Her answer was, resolved to go to mass."

66

Going to mass is nothing," rejoined O'Connell, "unless you believe in the doctrines of the Catholic church. And if you do not, it is much better that you should continue to attend your own place of worship; I shall provide you with the necessary accommodation."

When the Irish Municipal Corporation Bill seemed certain of success, four of the Dublin Aldermen, who I presume were office-bearers in the old Corporation, applied for his aid in procuring for them compensation. He readily acquiesced, and said to one of them (Sheriff Hyndman, I believe,) "I want to work out political changes; but I am equally desirous to avoid inflicting individual injury. I war against systems, not against men; and I shall feel particularly happy if by my exertions I can procure for you the compensation to which I deem you most justly entitled."

The man who could speak thus, may doubtless have been an enthusiastic partisan, but he could at any rate have been no bigot.

But when assailed by unprincipled bigotry, he was not always quite so bland.

There is, or was, near Dublin, a Protestant clergyman named M'Ghee, who possessed some vituperative ability, which was combined with great zeal, and an insatiable thirst for notoriety. In 1836, this

reverend gentleman had produced at a public meeting in London a document forged by another clergyman named Todd, which he passed off as a genuine epistle from the Pope to the Irish bishops. This exploit obtained for him the sobriquet of "Forgery M'Ghee." O'Connell, it seems, was addressed in a letter-probably a controversial one-―by this bizarre enthusiast. An emissary from M'Ghee, whose name I think was King, was deputed by the former to visit O'Connell and inquire if he meant to reply to his letter. O'Connell thus described his reception of the emissary:

"When the fellow was announced, I started up from my chair and indignantly exclaimed, 'How dare you, sir, insult me by bringing any message to my house from that forgery vagabond? I should feel more disgraced by holding communication with him than with the vilest wretch that walks the streets. Get agone! get agone !!'"

The envoy made a hasty retreat; and O'Connell, when subsequently speaking of the incident, exclaimed,

"What audacity these scoundrels have! What impudence of Forgery to send his epistles and messengers to me!"

"What did

you

do with his letter?" asked I.

"Flung it in the fire when I saw the rascal's name to it."

There was another description of dissenters from Catholicity with whom O'Connell was on much better terms than with the proselyting parsons. These were the Quakers. He undoubtedly was not only attached to many of the Society of Friends, but he also admired some of their principles. In both Ireland and England he was in habits of familiar intercourse with certain leading members of their sect; and he referred with particular pleasure to the compliment paid him by old Joseph Pease, who was uncle, I think, to the Quaker member for Durham. That good old man had visited him often in London, and one day he said at parting, “Friend O'Connell, I have for many years watched thine actions closely; I have kept mine eye upon thee, and I have never seen thee do aught that was not honest and useful." Truly," said O'Connell, “it was a satisfaction to my mind to be appreciated by that good man. It is consoling that an impartial and intelligent observer should do me justice. It makes me amends, if I needed any, for a life of labour, and for the vituperation of my enemies."

CHAPTER IX.

Repeal Agitation-O'Connell's agitating Staff-Hunting-The Value of an Ugly Nose-A Friar's Address upon the Veto of 1813-The Scotch Union-Mary Queen of Scots-Early Professional Success of O'Connell-Castlereagh, Arthur O'Connor, and Cornelius M'Loughlin-Old Catholic HymnsO'Connell on Place-hunting-Repeal Meeting at Cork-Old Mr. Jeffreys of Blarney Castle-Fox-hunting v. Hare-hunting -Poor "Jack of the Roads"-A meritorious Lie-A Lesson in Cow-stealing-An impromptu Speech prepared beforehand -Chief-Baron O'Grady.

IN September, 1840, I made a short tour in the County Cork, for the purpose of stirring up the spirit of Repeal. There were excellent popular meetings in the town of Dunmanway, Skibbereen, and Macroom; and the disposition of the people may be judged of from the fact, that in the lastnamed town there was an attendance of 10,000 of the peasantry, who mustered thus numerously, although remote from all the machinery of metropolitan agitation. This was at the earlier period of the renewed movement, and a gathering of